Retry Strategies Part 1

The retry can be useful in salvaging a score and sometimes even a Q, but I see a lot of handlers that don’t really understand how, or when they should or shouldn’t retry a sign — and often those who do know when something went wrong, don’t have a strategy or routine for how to go about it.

Here are the basics of the retry (part 1 of 6 in My Rally Coach)

When you step into the ring, you’re walking in with 100 points. Get to the finish and out of the ring without losing more than 30 points and you have a qualifying score.

There are many ways to lose points, but none are as costly as an incorrectly performed sign or IP.

An incorrectly performed (IP) sign is an automatic 10-point deduction.

An IP occurs when a team (handler and/or dog) attempts a sign and fails to perform one (or more) of the principal parts of the sign as described on the first attempt.

The Principal Parts of each sign is boldface and underlined. They are the “must perform” aspects of the sign.

If you attempt a sign and you and/or your dog doesn’t perform one of the “principal” portions of the sign, you can: Retry the sign (automatic 3-point deduction); Move on (10-point deduction for incorrectly performed sign or IP). If you choose to retry the sign and you or your dog still don’t perform it correctly it’s a maximum deduction of 10 points, (not 10+3).

Except for all jumps (any level) and the Sit Stay sign (Excellent level), the handler may choose to retry the sign once, for a correct performance, accepting the mandatory 3-point deduction for the retry of the sign. The sign is considered an IP if the handler chooses not to retry or fails to perform the sign correctly on the second attempt. There are no retries in the Rally Master class.

Additionally, if you don’t attempt a sign, it will appear that you missed it all together and that is an automatic NQ. You must attempt every sign on the course, even in that means you are just going through the motions!

Knowing the signs, especially “The Principal Parts” of each sign is crucial to knowing whether you need to retry. You may know how the sign is to be performed correctly, but what if your dog does something a little off. Is it ok to move on or should you repeat? Was that 1 or 2 points or 10 or an NQ? If you don’t know the principal vs. non-principal parts of every sign on the course, you’re going to be in trouble.

My Rally Coach is the only App with the most current sign reference including up-to-date sign descriptions with the principal parts clearly indicated, including Chapter 2 information where applicable — and those features of the app are FREE!

So, you know why to retry — to save points. But do you have a strategy? Do you know how to retry — I see so many handlers turn what they think is a retry into a mess and get the IP anyway. And do you know why or when you shouldn’t retry? There’s a lot more to it than simply retrying the sign and it’s a decision that must happen in an instant.

Become an in-App Subscriber to My Rally Coach for my 6-part how-to, and strategies, for retrying signs. Save those points, save those Q’s and protect your dog’s ego!